1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to card package production systems of the type that automatically produce card packages composed of cards, such as credit cards, attached to matching carrier forms for mailing, and more particularly, to such a system with a card package output module and card package distribution methods
2. Description of the Prior Art
Card package production systems that produce card packages comprised of cards, such as plastic credit or debit cards, to matching paper carriers that bear printed information including the card owner""s name and address in a location for viewing through a window envelope into which the carrier packages may be ultimately inserted, or xe2x80x9cstuffedxe2x80x9d, for mailing to the owner.
Examples of such card package production systems in which the cards are mechanically attached to the carriers are shown in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/081,312, filed May 19, 1998, of Bretl et al. and entitled xe2x80x9cCard Package Production System with a Multireader Card Track and Methodxe2x80x9d, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,544 issued Feb. 27, 1996 to Hill et al. and entitled xe2x80x9cAutomatic Verified Embossed Card Package Production Methodsxe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,395 issued Jul. 30, 1996 to Hill et al. and entitled xe2x80x9cCard Package Production System with Burster and Code Readerxe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,815 issued Feb. 14, 1995 to Hill et al. and entitled, xe2x80x9cEmbossed Card Package Production System with Modular Inserters for Multiple Formsxe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,886 issued Apr. 23, 1996 to Hill et al. for xe2x80x9cCard Package Production System with Modular Carrier Folding Apparatus for Multiple Formsxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,364 issued Jul. 18, 1995 to Hill et al. for xe2x80x9cCard Package Production System with Burster and Carrier Verification Apparatusxe2x80x9d, all assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and all of which together with the references cited therein are hereby incorporated by reference.
In known card package production systems, the successfully completed card packages are output from the system at a single outlet slot from which they are fed to an envelope stuffing machine or a card package stacker, as may be joined to the single outlet slot. In order to switch from one to the other, the positions of the envelope stuffing machine and the card package stacker must be exchanged.
Moreover, in known systems, the card package stackers extended in a substantially horizontal direction and thus required substantial amounts of floor space.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a card package production system having a multidirectional card package distribution module that provides multiple outlets for correctly prepared card packages for different purposes, or for rejection of incorrectly prepared purposes, and a method of selectively changing which outlet is used on a real-time basis during operation of the distributor.
More particularly, it is an object to provide an alternative card package stacking apparatus to the one shown in the aforementioned PCT patent application and U.S. Provisional application, which are incorporated herein by reference.